Soup, Book Review and Cat Fights

 Soup is back in the house...  I'm waiting for his first indiscretion to clean up...  He seems so grateful to be inside that he's tried to thank me by tripping me up, rubbing against my ankles whenever I'm standing or trying to walk across the room.  He seems intent on tripping me to my death. ARGGHH

Anyway, Out of the 5 pints of soup, I'll be eating one for lunch today as it didn't seal.

I hope to can some carrots tomorrow.  Jen bought some purple carrots and that should add some serious color to my canning shelves!

For reasons I won't get into, I've been sitting looking at my phone for the past month from 7:30ish to 8:30 or 9ish each night.  So I happened upon a book that was given to me for Christmas. Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano.  I'd only read a couple chapters to begin with and then life went crazy.  I actually finished it last night!

One of a VERY small set of books I've actually read all the way through in the last 4 years, probably my 4th.  And me with a librarian as a son-in-law.  He's probably so ashamed of me.  I start reading a book and my mind wanders and I lose interest a chapter or two in so I return it to the library or put it back on my shelf.  This one regained my interest and since I had to sit anyway, I was a captive audience.  It was really good!  So now, I'll see if our library has any of the rest of the series.

I woke up this morning at 4am to something that sounded like Aggie having a crying screaming fit in the kitchen.  And then I heard something like dishes flying around and crashing. WHA??!

I went downstairs and found nothing and absolute silence.  Aggie's security camera showed her on her bed sleeping.  So I went back upstairs and climbed back into bed.  AND then heard it again louder with more crashing.  I went downstairs and listened.  It was coming from the deck.  At least two cats were having a knock down, drag out, throw down fight.  Lots of howling, hissing and fighting postures.  I flipped on the deck light and it quieted down.  I never actually saw them.  They must have scattered when the light went on.

So I checked out the front porch security camera.

Got you on film, you crazy cats!!!

I had set food out for Soup a couple days ago overnight, but it came in as soon as I caught him.  I think those cats thought I had a smorgasbord nightly and showed up to party.

If only I'd had a shoe handy.

Weekend Thoughts

Just something I was amused by over the weekend.

ALSO... In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, he just cut out the coat from a curtain and didn't put any seam allowance or ANYTHING!!!

On Saturday morning, Maddy, Matthew and myself went out to visit my bestie's husband.  We had a fun time! and I ate too many donuts and leftover birthday cupcakes. 

That afternoon, I watched Better Off Dead while I worked on the wedding dress. We are at a point where I need the actual fabric and get going on it.  I think the bride is getting a little anxious.

But in Better Off Dead, I had to take a pic of this scene in the movie. Robb and I LOVED this movie and can quote any line from it at any given point.

 

So in the movie, a foreign exchange girl student is living with a mother and son in L.A..  The mother is convinced that her son and the girl are made for each other and encourages them to speak the international language of love since the girl refuses to let on that she understands English.  The son gives a framed photo of himself to her for a Christmas present. lol!

So Robb had me do a photo shoot of him many years ago.  He picked the best one, framed it and sent it to his sister as a gift.  And THAT'S why there are a couple corny pics of him in that memorial video I posted last week.

:) I might frame the whole series of them for myself.

On Saturday night, I had made a crock pot full of chili and enough bread bowls for the gang.  They all came over for dinner and a D&D game night with Ryan.

Since I've been getting up around 4:30 every morning, I'm usually drained by 8pm.  So I headed upstairs instead and relaxed before getting to sleep.

On Sunday after church, I dropped Leon off at home and headed to see my bestie for a bit, then got home JUST when Maddy and Matthew pulled up to do their laundry.  They got their laundry batch in and we went for a "W" as Matthew calls them.  He doesn't dare say "walk" around his dogs and he's just in the habit.

We walked over to Meri's house and then further where he could peek into the windows of the local library.  I'm not sure if they're "rival" libraries but he should really come in some time when they're open.

We played a couple games that they brought and watched a bit of Vicar of Dibley until it was time for me to take Leon to his mom's.  

I dropped him off and then got lost in Des Moines until I FINALLY found the right road to get to the Iowa Home and Garden show.  I always begged Robb to go with me and sometimes he did.  But now I understand why he was hesitant.  It's a lot of walking and nothing to do but spend money.  When I was a kid, this was the place to collect fly swatters, match books and yard sticks...

For me with Robb, it was getting my mind all psyched up for Spring.  But yesterday it was for therapy.  I power walked the entire home show in 30 minutes.  

When I had Robb with me, we'd mosey around and dream about "what if" we had a jacuzzi or a flower bed like this?  Or if we had the space on the patio, wouldn't this be cool there?!  

But they were closing in 1.5 hours and I felt like I had no time to waste. Plus a lot of the booths were packing up their stuff.  I'll bet the fly swatters had already been packed.  

The most swag I found was a pen from a sewer sucking service. 

I stopped at a couple booths to get info on concrete repair and then stopped for a guy to squirt aloe lotion on my hand.  As he proceeded to rub it into my hand, I stepped back.  Um I can do that thanks... 

*do you also have hand sanitizer??!*

Then at another booth, a guy asked to clean my glasses for me.  Yeoookay...  As he cleaned them, he asked if I had precious gem stones or guns in my home.

Yikes!  There is NO need for you to know that!  I replied with "I don't feel comfortable telling you that information!"

Suddenly he handed my glasses to a co-worker and excused himself for a phone call. *which I didn't see him take... he just walked to another table...* :) I must have offended him or he didn't know how to take me.  But the co-worker was great so I'm glad he handed me off.  She finished my glasses and asked to polish up my wedding rings.  Sure... But I've eaten salt today and couldn't get them off.

No problem.  She smeared some cream on them and started polishing them right on my finger.  I couldn't believe the black tarnish that she pulled off of that!  My wedding rings looked so sparkling and new that tears started flowing.

I asked if she could do my husband's ring too and she said SURE!  So I took my necklace off and she polished it up too.  It looks so pretty and sparkly!

And I got sucked into spending $50...

Oh well, my rings look good!

I got home in time for Meri and Ryan (bf) to stop by for some more D&D time with Ryan.  Meri gave me the patterns for the bridesmaid dresses today and I'm looking forward to getting to work on the actual dresses for her friend's wedding!

Not that the wedding dress itself wasn't the actual dress...  But up to now it's been samples.  Let's get rolling!!!

And don't you just hate it when one of your favorite authors posts something like this on Instagram and you're suddenly excited that a new book is out finally?!!!

Turns out it's just one you've already read but in German or Portuguese or something...

uGG..  Oh well, I'll keep waiting....

And FYI: I've been praying a LOT for Ukraine this weekend.  

And a lot more prayers to come.

Cat Scratch Flying

 Goodness!  The day is getting away from me!

I was down a whole pound this morning!  I was up 3.5 pounds since the day before Thanksgiving... And now I'm only up 2.5...  It'll happen.   

Frank, the cat, has been having more fun in the garage these days.  Ryan has been letting him have fun out there exploring. Which is fine as now I don't really have to struggle too hard to make sure he doesn't escape out, but it's annoying too.  

As I sat in my office talking to a co-worker today, Frank managed to get between the screen door and the main door of my office (from the garage).  He scratched and mewed a bunch at the bottom of the door and I thought he was going to scratch his way into the crawl space beneath my office!  When all of the sudden, he jumped up with his sharp little claws and perched himself precariously between the door window and the screen.  

Then just as suddenly, he fell. lol!  

I heard Ryan yell for him and then he was gone.  Whew!

Scritch scratching cats can be so distracting...

I did some deep cleaning yesterday and in a closet under some stairs, which we rarely go into, I found a ton of Meri's barbie dolls and paraphernalia.  A barbie convertible and the barbie airplane for the flight attendant Barbie.  We had them all...  There are STILL more in a box in the garage.  Frank has probably come across them...  But Meri was thrilled to get them for her daycare kids!  She has two little 3 or 4 year old girls that will adore them as much as she did.  Maddy used to love them but can't stand dolls now.  She might get over that when she has a little girl of her own who might love dolls.

Maddy had a Barbie Makeup Sleepover party when she turned 6.  Out of the 15 girls that showed up in their pajamas, only 1 actually stayed overnight.  But that party alone scored Maddy a bunch of varieties of Barbies.  If your kid loves Barbies, you might need to throw one of those kinds of parties!

Speaking of flight attendents, Robb and my "together" show these days is the Flight Attendant with Kaley Cuoco.  If you don't like a lot of swearing and sex all wrapped up in one show, this might not be for you.  Oh and she drinks... a lot...  It's like watching a train wreck and you all love to watch those!  I really don't think Robb likes it much, but he's going along with it for my sake.  

It's not your mother's Silver Wings For Vicki story... ;) Of which, I've read them all!  and loved them.  For a long time I was going to be a flight attendant.  Nine years old laying on your back on the yard and watching the planes and their trails in the sky and dreaming about traveling. Because I was sure EVERY flight would bring an adventure.

Anyway, that was my day.  Looking forward to some quieter days to come.  At least I hope.  Too much hopping and cat stress today.

Yes I do blog and it's Tuesday

Let's see...  Meri noticed that I hadn't blogged for a while.  I guess since last Wednesday!  

So... what's been going on...  

Last Friday, a former co-worker of mine and now former co-worker of Robb's, retired.  She'd been with the company since the 90s and was always great to work with.  She was Robb's right hand man.  Now she'll be living on a lake closer to her kids and grandkids and quilting the days away. 

I'm so jealous!  No light at the end of the tunnel for me yet.  

Her retirement party was Thursday after work so she could hit the road promptly at 5 on Friday for freedom.  The party was a lot of fun visiting with former co-workers that I haven't seen since Robb's company Christmas party.  The newer/younger employees did a "grazing table" which one of our friends kindly replied with, "it's what we call a buffet dear..." lol, but really it's not.  Well kind of.

The food was either in little crocks or right on the butcher block paper spread out on the table.

So really it's a buffet for people who don't want to do more dishes than they have to.

Clever...  and yummy.  A larger charcuterie board, if you will.

On Friday night, I cornered Jen and she and I shopped through my sweater knit stash for something suitable to make her Christmas present that I'd promised.  She has a comfy sweater that had been splotched with bleach and wanted something similar but without the bleach.  We found some  gray and white loose knit (in the right in the pic) that I'd picked up in Los Angeles last February.  And the gray on the left was perfect for the accents in the sweater.

I was/am hesitant to cut into it until I had a good sample made first.  So I cut into the many many yards of this blue knit that has aged in my stash for probably 10 years.  

Apparently like a fine wine, because it looks so cute on Jen!  

Seriously it does.  It does NOT have hanger appeal tho.

and I should probably finish up the hems...

It'll be a wearable muslin.

The only addition that she wanted done to her sweater was to make it longer so she could wear it like a dress if she wanted.  This might be TOO long, but it looked so comfy I might make another just for me.  The pattern that I'd forged off her original sweater is now packaged up with the label "Jen's sweater".  It WILL be reused.

In the meanwhile, I've taken the sleeves off of the striped shirt that I made for Meri and added some flowiness to the sides for more comfort.  The sleeves are now black.  BUT when I took the striped knit in to Joanns to find a match, it suddenly looked navy blue in the light if I held it up to black.  Then if I held it up to the navy blue knits, it looked black.  

Kind of a gold vs blue dress scenario...

So she's getting the black sleeves that she requested.  One sleeve is on so far and as soon as I get that on and the sides seamed up again, I'll take it back to her to try on again.

The first blouse fit her well except for being a smidgen short in front.  She wears a tank top under it and it looks adorable.  She's wore it to a party last weekend.  I'll have to make more of those and figure out how to make it longer...

So... we finally got a couple inches of snow on Sunday night.  It had been promised Saturday night and we know exactly where the snow line was on Saturday.  It was a block north of our church.  Casey's had no snow, our church sidewalks had 2.5 inches.  My sidewalks are not clear yet, mainly because so many people dog walk on our street that they packed it down before we got to them with a shovel...  So I spread salt on it this morning and hopefully we'll see pavement before nightfall.

The Christmas tree parts sat in our entry way all weekend and we finally had a chance to get them tucked away in the garage yesterday morning.  

I'm not sure which is more "normal" for us...  Living with 5 large chunks of artificial Christmas tree in our entry way/dining room or having them packed away.

Probably the first one.

Someone mentioned that they didn't think artificial trees shed so much.  Ours is just shy of 20 years old and within a few more years of this shedding, we'll be hanging ornaments on naked wires and calling it good.  

AND finally, an advertisement for a friend.  A friend from my sewing guild's husband (is that right grammar?) wrote a book/ebook since retiring.  Go purchase it on Amazon!  He'd be a great blogger...

I'll mention that to him this weekend at our meeting.  He'll be reading an excerpt from it and autographing my book for me.

Ok - enough for today.  I hope to get a lot done today. Probably won't, but thus is my hope.

Working up my Thankfulness

It's been so crazy around here that I forgot to blog this morning!  I'm sure I'll get a text from my daughter asking if something is wrong...

Anyway, the weekend...  

Friday night, Meri stayed over.  She brought Ellie and then she had a sleepover with Leon.  They had a blast and stayed up way later than he should to watch two movies that are probably too old for him but he's seen them before, so the violence of dinosaurs isn't a total shock to his system.  He said that he only jumped twice.  That's better than when he saw it the first time from what I'm told.

With Ellie here, Reedus wakes up at 3am and howls.  Not fun.  it took forever to get back to sleep.

AND Ellie taught him how to get out under the fence.  shoot.

On Saturday, I had a sewing meeting and came home with a BUNCH of fabric and inspiration!  That free table speaks to me.

Take me!  Take me!

That afternoon, I'd settled down to make use of my inspiration.  I had 3 yards of fleece to make some mermaid blankets for our church craft sale.  The lady that usually brings 8 fleece blankets a year passed away this spring and we're really missing her.  Not for this!  She was a great lady...  I just miss her.  

She also took it upon herself to make all the goodie bags for the Sunday school kids at the Christmas program every year.  Another lady has taken over that project.  Georgeane was awesome.

AND I wanted the craft sale to live on in her honor.  So I made the mermaid blankets with a sign that said I'd make more if they'd provide the fleece.  One sold immediately and I got an order for two others.  A mermaid and a shark for the grandchildren of another church friend.  She took down the yardage I told her and I'll probably do that the weekend after next.

Anyway, I'd cut out the mermaid blankets and had just sat down at the sewing machine when Meri called.  "Hi Mom!!!  Whatcha doin'?"  "sewing"  "Bring it down here!  I'm making some Christmas presents and would love your company!  Oh and can you stop by Hobby Lobby on your way and get me more supplies?"

Something tells me that she wanted the company of my debit card more than me...

So, I packed up my machine and materials.  Left Robb and headed to Meri's after stopping at Hobby Lobby of course.

Got settled at her dining room table and made the two blankets.  And she wasn't even playing Christmas music!!!  sigh...  oh well.  

Christmas music is on full time on my favorite radio station these days!  If Robb isn't in the car, it's blasting!  Leon even knows most of the songs now.  Robb is a big "No Christmas music until after Thanksgiving!" kind of guy.  I know opposites attract but sheesh!  I know ALL the words and want to belt them out!  oh well. I know when the right time is. Anytime he's not in the car.

So I worked for a few hours at Meri's and then headed home with Leon.  He'd been hanging with his dad all afternoon.  But Ryan had to go to work so home again home again.

So we were up late that evening.  EARLY Sunday morning, at 3am, Reedus woke us up again howling.  THIS time, I couldn't get back to sleep so I was running on about 4 hours of sleep all day Sunday. 

 

After church, we WERE going to stop for Thanksgiving groceries, but got a text from Meri that she needed something for her play el pronto!  So the grocery list got tucked back in my purse and we went to assist.  I spent a wee bit of the afternoon housekeeping but started feeling faint, I'm assuming from lack of sleep, so I grabbed my new library book and read and relaxed a bit.  If you're in the market for a new book to read, read this!  Tana French's new novel, The Witch Elm.  I love her books!  This one is from the victims perspective instead of the Dublin Murder Squad and I'm really enjoying it so far.  I have noticed that I need a LOT of light in order to read.  I guess I'm getting old.

I just tell our local librarian what books I want to read and they buy it for me!  Well, to read for the next few weeks...  I may have to renew it as my reading time is few and far between.

Anyway, my energy came back by Monday.  We're getting ready for the big Thanksgiving reunion coming up this weekend.  We've got lots of relatives staying over at various times over the next 5 days and Leon's shower and bathroom was a mess...  It's got a new shower curtain now and looks pretty sharp.  

We're just down to a quick sweep and a more leisurely vacuuming and I'll call this house ready!

The groceries were gotten last night and Robb is going to hit the oven pretty hard tomorrow getting prep stuff done beforehand.  I'm so looking forward to seeing "almost" everyone!  I'll be missing Maddy and Matthew though.  I know we had our Thanksgiving with them but still.  

I'll BE Thankful.  Just not today.

Simply Southern Mom Cookbook

Today I'm reviewing Simply Southern Mom's blog and brand new cookbook that she wrote with her daughter.  It is being released in 12 days!!!!  She's so excited!  So am I!

While I'm not cooking all the time and my favorite meal to prepare for whatever family happens to be home is "figure it out for yourself night", I love perusing cookbooks and dreaming about something to prepare that will cement my cooking in their memories.  Instead of giving them bad dreams.

Pam and I have been following each other's blogs for years and I have been inspired to make lots of her yummy things!  

Pam Wattenbarger and her grand-daughter.  

The cookbook has recipes that cover every Southern dish you've ever heard of and tons that you hadn't even dreamed of.  She and Brittany have been posting video tutorials on Facebook for the last several weeks on how to make lots of different foods from the book.  The last one I watched was how to make S'more pie and it was so different than one I'd tried in the past.  It made it look like a smooth pumpkin pie with whipped topping, but with chocolate and marshmallows...  OHHHHHHHHH...

I gained five pounds just watching.

Go pre-order this book today!!!  

She just announced a few days ago that it's the #1 best pre-sold book on Amazon! 

Help keep her at #1 for a LONGGG time.

I know I will!

Tur-book-ench

The "freaky pilgrim people" have made their appearance as of this morning!!!    Every time I had to go into the garage for something, I grabbed one of them. 

This photo is from a few years ago when we were torturing Maddy.

She hates them and that's why they have a name.

I'm not entirely sure where the turkey is, but I'm sure it's there somewhere.  Maybe when I have more time to look. 

It's not when I'm letting in a dog or three.

Leon helped me sort books the other day from his bookshelf bench in the living room.  There is a huge stack of books that are really for babies, a stack for sentimental books that I don't have the heart to store away, a stack of books that he can read himself, now that he's getting into the reading age, and then a stack of ones that we read to him. 

The little bench shouldn't be so packed anymore.

The bench was made by my uncle/Godfather who died when I was a pre-teen, for his two daughter's play house in their basement.  It eventually went to a daycare that my mom ran and then to me when my kids were littles.  So it has a lot of sentimental value to me.  I've tightened some screws over the years and gave it a paint job when we got it.  It used to be pink.

But the desire to have tidy corners in my house for the holidays has once again hit me.  The craft table got hit too.  It had become a good place to throw things that you just didn't know what to do with in the living room.  The puzzles will have to find another home.

I've got CRAFTS to make for gifts!!

And boy do I!  I can't wait to show you!

But some other day.  I think I know where that turkey is.

Catch you later!

Books and acorn beginnings

He brought home an acorn yesterday that he'd found on the playground.  We planted it in a red Solo cup with a hole in the bottom and it's attempting to grow in our kitchen.  Maybe by spring he can plant it outside.

I was eating a quick supper last night and happened to look inside the cup, thinking it was some meat that Ryan had cooked up.  Thinking to myself, "Ryan cooked the **** out of that meat!"

I may have said it out loud.

and I may need to see an ophthalmologist. 

Felt better when I knew what it was.

My sister sent me a Trixie Belden book that she'd found in her basement storage.  She knew that I loved it as a kid and none of her kids got into them.  I'd read a couple to Maddy and Ryan when they were little and liked me to read to them.  So now, I'm starting my collection of Trixie books.  Do you think a five year old boy would be interested in having his old grandma read him books about a 13 year old girl detective?  Maybe...  She was such a tomboy and her brothers were pretty fun.  We'll see.

What I'd like to find for him is the book, The Wolf King.  I know I saw it in the garage once upon a time so it's probably stored away somewhere.  My kids had loved it when their dad read it to them.  I'll have to dig that out.

Anyway, I have a meeting in 11 minutes and need to prepare for it.  Have a wonderful Thursday.

Defective Goals

Do you know how hard it is to track down a doctor after they leave one office and your kid only wants THEM?!  

I didn't read all those Nancy Drew, 

Trixie Belden

and Vicki Barr books for NOTHING! 

 I tracked the good doctor down, found her on Facebook and sent her a message. 

"HEY...  Where are you AT these days??!"

AND she responded.  We'll be making an appt soon.  My kids really like and trust her.  She's actually a physician's assistant, but she really can relate to my kids.  Apparently she was a hippy type in college and knows how these kids think.

Speaking of being a detective.  I made my own sign to hang on our upstairs door when I was a kid.  Val's Detective Agency, with my home phone number.  My sister took a pen and made one little swipe to make it Val's Defective Agency.  

ha.ha.  She's SOOOOO funny....

In an attempt to get Leon coaxed off the computer without a fight last night, I sat on the floor next to the piano bench with two boxes of dominoes.  I started setting them up for a good tumble.  He happened to notice and ran over to TAKE over.  We made a few figure 8s and then built towers to see who could build theirs the highest.  The ones I built with fell first.  He made sure of that.  

Leon has an eye appointment today in prep for school starting next week.  Whew!  The last minute rushes are the worst.  We should have done this in July...  Oh well.  Only his dentist check up won't be before school starts.  That should be ok. 

But pretty soon, the house will be mostly quiet during the days (I'm trying to make myself feel better) and I can do whatEVER I want over my lunch breaks! BWAHAHA!

I'll probably sew more.

Sew Going to Dance!

A package in a plastic baggie came to our house the other day.  It looked and felt like it had motor oil or something like it all over the package.  The post office had had an accident of some sort somewhere and posted a note on it.  

We opened it up and cleaned it off as best as we could.  Ryan had mentioned that he'd seen this book in a used book store a while back, but didn't buy it, so Robb found it on Ebay or Amazon and ordered it.

Dancing With Jesus boardbook.

You heard me!

We had to wipe off each page repeatedly, but in the process read some of the dance moves.  The Lazarus Lurch was a funny one.  The instructions are below.

 Last night I jammed 3 weeks of cramming into 1 hour.  That's all I would have gotten done in 3 weeks anyway...  I serged up the seams on the prom dress and gave it a fresh hem with a rolled serge seam.  It's not what I would have LIKED to have done, but it's due today. 

I also sent some photos for printing and Robb picked them up for me last night.  I'm actually entering some photos this year in the county fair!  Why not!?  I know how to mount them on core board..  Helping the kids with theirs over the years makes this a snap.

Got them glued to the core board just before I came out to my office today.

The hard part was deciding which ones to send...

 

Over lunch, since I got the silly serger FINALLY rethreaded again, I plan to serge up the seams on the Spring formal dress that I'd made for Maddy this year.  HOPEFULLY I can get it done before 5:30 tonight with everything else that I have planned today besides work...  

Just so you know...  I plan to do things properly NEXT time and serge the edges up as I'm actually sewing the dress rather than after the fact...  

Will I learn my lesson?  maybe...

whew!  Might need to unwind after a day like this with the Temptation Tango!

Friday Randoms

I worked on the wedding dress hem again last night. ALMOST done with the lining hem when the bobbin ran out. Got it refilled and then got sidetracked... I had thought of a book that I had loved as a teen, thought Meri might like it and asked Robb to order it for me from Amazon. It came yesterday and last night, Meri and I curled up on my bed and I read her 5 chapters from it! Then another chapter this morning.
Did I tell you I love this book?! I think I must have reread it a dozen times as a kid. So far, she likes it too. Comedy, romance, teens, mystery, villains. Perfect...

Football game tonight at the high school. I'll stay until after the half time marching band performance, but then I'm outta there. I mean... the game is getting more interesting for me since I understand how most of it works now... but I'd really rather go home and put the dogs outside.

Eh, priorities...

Tomorrow we pick up the Freecycle preemie clothes for my sister! On the way, I'm going to bring along Meri's dress and finish the handwork on it. In case you were wondering, I won't be driving...

On the way home, I'm going to get a new battery for my cell phone. I love US Cellulars free battery exchange. And NO I'm not advertising, I'm just sayin'.

My cell phone went out of warranty last Thursday. Wouldn't you just know it?! I should have called them last week when I noticed that it randomly shuts off. Especially after you slam the cover down or drop it... But yesterday noticed that even after having it on the charger all night, it ran out of juice by 8am. And I hadn't even made any calls!

I love my cell phone, but GUY!!!

Maddy is back on her "You'll never see me" schedule. I have no idea when we'll celebrate her birthday next month. Probably during the pasta feed that we're helping with the night before. Yeah!!! Have 30 cross country kids sing Happy Birthday to her! hmm.. I'll have to work something out with the other parents we're collaborating with. And Maddy, if you read this, Nothing is going on!

My son's new night job of almost 2 weeks now seems to be working out well for him. He gets to our house with my car every morning almost just in time for me to drive Meri to school, then he sleeps until whenever. I don't think he's getting enough sleep but who am I to say? I'm one who would complain about not enough sleep if I got 10 hours. WHICH I never do...

Looking forward to getting away from this computer for the weekend! If I'm lucky, I'll have 3 of the dresses done this weekend! and then have next week to finish or rework mine.

The wedding is in t-minus 15 days.

My sanity will be gone in t-minus 4 days. And my family is looking forward to me being all the way crazy. That way all my conversations will entertain them.

Right now, they just wince because it's all about me whining about not having enough hours in the day to sew.

Tut Tut - Looks like Rain..

Oh Yeah - That was Pooh that said that, wasn't it? Wrong quote, wrong bear.

Anyone remember this lovable little neurotic bear?... Yep - Paddington Bear. I had a political science professor at college that reminded me of him and I called him Paddington behind his back.I won't tell you his name, but it sticks with me as it was very memorable. His name sort of pushes off your tongue and sounds as if you had a mouth full of marshmallows. Plus he looked just like the bear so it really did fit...

I just googled him and he's now teaching out east. Hmm. They probably like bears there.

Speaking of toys that are photographed as if they're real, does anyone remember the Lonely Doll series with Edith, the lonely doll? A bear and his son come live with her and she gets all sorts of trouble. In one memorable book, the bear actually spanks her for getting into make up.
And of course, at the time when I first had it read to me at my Grandmas house, I was shocked at the naughtiness of Edith. And I knew my girls would love the books as well as the illustrations so I went on a search for them online, not even knowing the names of the books. Just going from the memories that I had with my grandma.

Well anyway, before I realized I'd be offended, I found and ordered the books from Barnes and Noble for my girls. They've been reprinted in the 90s in paperback form and are really nice.

I found out that now as a parent, I kind of take offense at a bear who presumes to punish that little girl! It's not HIS child! Well, yeah... She's only a doll, but COME on!

But then again, I take offense at Mary Poppins. How dare she go into that families home (even if invited) and presume to tell them how to raise their own kids!

* a spoonful of sugar, my foot!!*

I'd never last two minutes being a family on that Nanny reality show!

The end of days & movie scripts

Actually the end of the school year - not days. No one knows when that is. But I have a feeling there are a few things I need to finish first.

I keep getting automated emails from the schools when the kids lunch money drops below a certain balance. I need to figure out how much money will get them through for the next eight days minus what's already in their account.

SEE!? We DO still use math and imaginary numbers in our real every day lives!

*Numbers like eleventeen and thirty-twelve...*

Maddy will have next to no school today... She's only a Sophomore but is on the student council and they're doing a Senior Send Off today. All I know is that she gets out of a bunch of classes and gets to hang with the Seniors.
She's been campaigning to stay on student council for this next year. Want to hear her slogan?

YOU'RE going to vote for me! But only if you want to... *she doesn't want to appear pushy...*

Meri and I stopped at the library last night before Taekwondo. I got the second Frankenstein book from the new Dean Koontz series. Apparently the third is coming out in a few weeks and I hadn't even realized there was a second! I'm a big Koontz fan, but only if they're not super creepy... I like the ones when there is a love story woven in.

My absolute favorite of his is Lightning. But I think Ryan took it with him when he moved. It's a good one...

My second absolute favorite of his is Watchers. And of course there's a Golden Retriever who can spell out messages with Scrabble tiles in it... Why do you think we like that breed of dog?? For their massively shedding hair??... I'm still waiting for one to spell something out with the tiles I leave laying around, but instead they just chew them up.Unfortunately Hollywood made a movie out of that one and turned it into a slasher movie. It had Cory Haim in it, and even though I knew him from other movies, that didn't change the fact that they wrecked the book and scenes that I held so dearly in my head... Found out today that it won a Rotten Tomato award. I could have told them that!

Hollywood must have realized their mistake, so they did it again! STILL wrong!! They even used the same plot however they did use a young Marc Singer *swoons* but it still sucked and was a slasher movie.Ok - sorry to go on and on about a book... But I liked it!! and if they ever try to remake that movie again, they better consult with Dean baby.

And if he's not available... they can call me.

And the winner is....

I didn't watch the awards last night either... Maybe you did... I can't speak for you. I'm cleaning my sewing room out as it will have a temporary occupant for the next few weeks. NOT my son.

So I'm stacking boxes of my fabric stash in my bedroom and moving my sewing tables back out into my hallway again. Good thing it's a bit wide and has good lighting! I've got a couple masterpiece dresses to crank out this spring. Ok 5. Easter is coming up, no?

I had a great weekend, but as usual it was much too short.

In the mail on Friday, (It's probably been sitting in the box since Tuesday...) I received a book that I won from Pennie at Mom Thoughts! "Song of Renewal" by Emily Sue Harvey. About a family who's daughter is in a car accident and in a coma. I can't wait to crack it open! Go check her out. She's amazing! Thank you Pennie! I'm sure I'm going to have to have some Kleenexes close by...And I won two awards last week!!!

First one was from Christina at Rant Rave & Roll. I LOVE her Wednesday Funnies! I usually cut and paste them into an email for my husband, they are so funny... She calls me a Stylish Blogger. She obviously doesn't own a dictionary... but maybe my style is so unique that I don't even recognize it as a type of style. Maybe "I" need a better dictionary!

I have to list 7 things about myself that I didn't already post last week and that you may not know about me...

1) I went out to dinner last night with my hubby for Valentines day and did NOT even acknowledge the couple sitting behind us even tho the husband was a black belt and from the same TKDo club as me... Well, THEY didn't say hello either!!

2) My internet was acting very flakey last night and this morning and I wasn't even sure I'd be able to work this morning with it. But I diagnosed the problem and fixed it. Aren't I smart??!!! And because of that, the livingroom computer is down for the count. oops.

3) Talked about my 16 year olds potty training stories over the weekend in front of her boyfriend and his parents and she didn't even mind too much... Hmmm.. Wondering what I can get away with next!

4) I still have Christmas lights out in front of our house, but I DID take down the garland. It was looking pretty sad... and brittle.

5) I have a frosted cupcake candle on my desk but I so rarely have matches in the house so it just sits.

6) My little Sunday School kids are a hoot! I LOVE the preschool bunch! 2-5 year olds. wow. I'm so glad their moms sometimes hang out to help out! :)

7) I LOVE the album Anthem by Ronan Hardiman. I've found my old cd case, but can't find the cd. Dang. Where IS that??

ANOTHER award last week!!! How do "I" rate?! This one is from my twin Mimi over at 4 Living In France. Except for the fact that she Lives In France (not really), looks nothing like me, has a flat version of herself like Flat Stanley (I am SO jealous) and curses when she crafts. My husband says that if she lived next door, he'd never see me... Separated by over 1000 miles, it's like we were separated at birth.

She gave me the Memetastic Award!

According to the rules here.. let me get my glasses, the print is so fine... I have to give you 5 confessions. One of them is a lie and you get to try and guess which one.

1) My sister and I sang "'65 Love Affair" at the top of our voices after driving through rush hour in Kansas City with our extremely strict uncle in the back seat. And then got a lecture...

2) I was once spanked with a broom by my mom.

3) I failed to pay taxes in Nebraska one year because I was ignorant... It was a booger to iron out.

4) I once dated two boys at the same time and neither one found out.

5) My best friend, her sister and I dug a swimming pool in their backyard one hot summer day and filled it with the hose.

Which one is a lie?

Ok - I have to get back to work, so I don't have time to pick and choose the recipients of these awards.

I know.. I know... I'm terrible...

I hereby give these two awards to anyone who wants them! Please linky back to me so I'll make sure I check out your lists when you post them. Either one. The 7 random things about you or the 5 truth/lies quiz.

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!!!!

I am the Major Model of a Modern Major Hypochondriac

When I was a young girl, I read a book called The Pink Dress by Anne Alexander. I LOVED that book! I must have read and reread it at least a dozen times!Ah Teenage romance... May my kids not know what that is until they're 35.

But in that book, the girl had an appendicitis attack and had to have surgery. She made it seem so glamorous and I was enthralled! That every time and I mean every time I had stomach ailments of any kind, I assumed that I had it. Usually it turned out to be something... well let's just say... quite different... and harmless.

Earlier this week I had a pain in my abdomen that concerned me a great deal. In fact, it incorporated itself into my dreams... Weird huh? The next day, it persisted.

I did a google search on my symptoms. It was either fibroids, endometriosis, constipation, gall stones, IBS or if I fudged on where I felt the pain, appendicitis. After much comparing and agonizing, and ignoring my husbands advice to not diagnose myself via the internet, I decided that it must be gall stones.

I also decided, after I blogged about it of course... that if the pain kept up the next day, I'd go get checked out by the doctor.

Oh dear, how were we going to afford this if I had to go in for surgery? How much would insurance pay? Would we have to put a jar down at the local convenience store to help pay for the costs? If I died, was there enough life insurance money on me for my husband to find a maid/nanny until he could get remarried?

Well, by the afternoon that I had thought about getting checked out, the pain had gotten less and less and had virtually disappeared.

I guess I'm ok. And the reason for the pain was probably...something...else.

Battle of the Elementary Stars

No Styrofoam paddles. No swinging on ropes. No kayak racing. And no flashy outfits! Bummer! Oh wait – that was Battle of the Network Stars!This is Battle of the Books in the elementary school! Meri was asked to participate a couple months ago and since this was such an honor, we made encouraged her to do it. There was a list of about 20 books that the kids on her team had to read before Wednesday's battle. Meri was assigned 4 of them.

She read Shiloh, Pictures of Hollis Woods and finally from our trip this past weekend, she finally finished Ella Enchanted… It’s NOTHING like the movie! She didn’t get a chance to read the 4^th book, Belle Teale, but last night Robb found a summary book report on it and read it to her. Good thing too!

At the end of the first round Meri came up to us with a stricken look on her face and said in dispair, “No one on my team read Belle Teale!” But because of that summary that Robb found, Meri was able to answer one question for it besides the author!

Her team made it to the finals and they ended up coming in 2^nd place by 1 point… Isn’t that always the way?… So close and yet so far!

But she had a blast and ... she got to see a 3rd grader cry...